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Remiss

I finally took the time to catch up on the over 100 blog posts in my reader, comment on a few, and feel slightly reconnected to the blogosphere. So remiss am I at writing (and failing at #30 on my 50 before 50), that my 5 year blogoversary came and went back in January with nary a celebratory word from me. Regardless, five years! Happy to still be here.

Part of what has distracted me is the addition, two months ago, of a second dog, a one year old puppy that we rescued. She is a 10# terrier mix, not at all the kind of dog I would have gotten had I been intending to get a dog (I would have gotten an American Fox Hound mix). After a couple of friends added a second dog to their families, I got the bug up my butt to do the same. Wouldn’t it be great?, I thought. Aside from being more work than I recall which includes once weekly hour long training sessions, she has been a great addition to our family. She is smart and easily trainable, has been a good match for our aging Italian Greyhound, and is the perfect dog to have with young children. She is rambunctious but sweet as all get out. We named her Bowie and those of a particular age will know why:

I haven’t been resting on my laurels as I march toward 50, though (and my 49th birthday is next month). My life and energies are focused, first on the boys and our family, and second on myself. The highlights in terms of self-care are: having regular facials (I have not partaken in any medical treatments, yet); finding a new work-out to add to the mix (in the form of hard-core group circuit training which I now do 4 times a week while only doing my beloved Cardio Barre once/wk). This has been VERY good for my body and energy. It is a hard work-out, ever changing, ever challenging. But, just in the two months I’ve been doing it, I can manage more reps of whatever we are doing and at higher weights. I held a plank for over 2 minutes last month and have set my sights on getting to a 5 min hold. I am stronger even if I don’t weigh less.

Which brings me to some not so great medical news. I have been STRUGGLING to lose even a pound and have even gained a few over the last several months. I have made many positive lifestyle changes none of which has amounted to a decrease in my weight or body fat or measurements. I’ve pushed my doctors (my primary care physician and my endocrinologist for answers, not at all being satisfied that my inability to lose is tied to peri-menopause, aging, being on anti-depressants (which I’ve weaned to the lowest effective dose to keep my hot flashes away) and being hypothyroid. I requested to have my cortisol levels checked. When the urine test (a 24 hr urine capture test, fun times) showed lower than normal levels, I had a fasting blood test. The results of that were slightly worse: not only was cortisol low but another hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone (acth) which should have been high as a result of cortisol being low, was also low. This requires further testing that I am not looking forward to, but must be done. Getting at the cause is important because how we treat this is dependent on it. I hope it is nothing worse than adrenal fatigue (which on its own is bad enough and hard to heal from).

I made an appointment on my 49th birthday to finally get the tattoo that I planned to get on my 45th birthday and then had to cancel getting on my 46th birthday when I was pregnant with Baby G. I decided to go with a back piece, up my spine and across my low back in both directions, two hummingbirds, both boys names, and a stalk of kangaroo paw. I can’t wait!

I have also been touring day care/preschools for G as I prepare to, hopefully, return to work. We are on the wait list for one in particular. And, on the work front, I’ve reached out to former colleagues, been looking for opportunities regularly, reached out to a friend to, perhaps, speak to my RE on my behalf to test, again, if there is an opportunity there, and have been toying with the idea of opening my own infertility concierge business.

Those are the highlights from a busy time in my life. By and large, I am fit, happy, and deeply grateful. Oh, and did I mention that we’ve been seeing my family fairly regularly and that my mom sent a letter to my birth mother? Oh, yes, there’s that.

4 comments to Remiss

That’s a big update! I hope the adrenal stuff can be figured out and rectified. You are a busy bee. SOOO impressed with the work outs!!! What what what??? You are seeing your mom? She wrote to your birth mom? Please say more! Happy belated blogoversary!!

I am glad you’re still here after five years. Congratulations on that; even if you aren’t writing as often as you hoped. You do seem pretty busy with some very important things. That is some big news about your family and especially you mom. Shocking! I’m dying to know what she said in the letter!